Canna plant named ‘B Marley’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Canna  plant named ‘B Marley’, that is characterized by its foliage that is highly variegated with stripes of dark green, red, yellow, orange and bright green with a green mid rib with leaves maturing to dark green with mauve striping, its flowering stems that are a blend of maroon in color and green in color, its highly suckering growth habit, its compact plant habit in width, and its flowers that are orange with a thin reddish orange margin on its staminodes.

Botanical classification: Canna americanallis.

Cultivar designation: ‘B Marley’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Canna americanallis known as ‘B Marley’, and is hereinafter referred to as ‘B Marley’.

The Inventor discovered the new cultivar, ‘B Marley’, at a tissue culture production facility in May of 2011 in Eustis, Fla. ‘B Marley’ originated as a naturally occurring chimeral mutation of Canna americanallis ‘Pretoria’ (not patented).

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished utilizing in vitro propagation by the Inventor in Eustis, Fla. in July of 2011. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has shown that the unique features of ‘B Marley’ are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed in trials in Eustis, Fla. and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘B Marley’ as a new and unique cultivar of Canna.

-   -   1. ‘B Marley’ exhibits foliage that is highly variegated with         stripes of dark green, red, yellow, orange and bright green. The         leaves mature to dark green with mauve striping. The leaf mid         rib is green in color.     -   2. ‘B Marley’ exhibits a highly suckering growth habit.     -   3. ‘B Marley’ exhibits a compact plant habit in width.     -   4. ‘B Marley’ exhibits flowers that are orange with a thin         reddish orange margin on its staminodes.     -   5. ‘B Marley’ exhibits flowering stems that are a blend of         maroon and green in color.

The parent plant, ‘Pretoria’, differs from ‘B Marley’ in having foliage that is variegated with green and white stripes, in being less suckering, in having orange flowers with a thin yellow margin on its staminodes, and in having flowering stems that are grey-green in color with an orange hue. ‘B Marley’ can be most closely compared to the cultivars ‘Pink Sunburst’ and ‘Tropicanna’ (both unpatented). Both are similar to ‘B Marley’ in rooting and grow rate, in having a similar leaf variegation pattern, and in having a similar flower shape. ‘Pink Sunburst’ differs from ‘B Marley’ in having leaves that are variegated with yellow, pink, and green stripes, in being shorter in height, and in having flowers that are pink in color. ‘Tropicanna’ differs from ‘B Marley’ in having leaves that are variegated with pink, red, green, yellow, orange, and burgundy with a mid rib that is yellow to orange in color, in being taller in height, in having bright orange flowers with a yellow margin on the staminodes, and in having flowering stems that are purple to reddish pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Canna. The photographs were taken of a 2 year-old plant as grown in a greenhouse in a 5-gallon container in Eustis, Fla.

FIG. 1 provides a top view of a plant of ‘B Marley’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a view of young and maturing foliage of ‘B Marley’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a mature leaf.

The photograph in FIG. 4 provides a view of an inflorescence of ‘B Marley’. The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the Detailed Botanical Description accurately describe the colors of the new Canna.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of two year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a greenhouse in Eustis, Fla. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—April to first frost in Florida.         -   Plant type.—Deciduous, tropical, perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Upright, tufted leaves on stout stems.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches 0.9 to 1.2 m in height and about             61 cm in width.         -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 7 to 11.         -   Diseases and pests.—Thick leaves impart an increased             resistance to diseases and pests.         -   Roots.—Fleshly. -   Propagation and growth:     -   -   Propagation type.—In vitro propagation is preferred.         -   Growth rate.—Fast growing (0.9 m in 6 to 8 weeks), numerous             suckers produced, average of 35 per 5-gallon container.         -   Root development.—Roots develop in 10 days in a stage3             rooting media, fully develop in a 1-inch liner in 42 days,             1-inch liner fully develops in a 6-inch pot in 6 to 8 weeks. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem size.—An average of 28 cm in length and an average of             2.8 cm in width (with sheaths).         -   Stem type.—Stout, surrounded by sheathed leaf petioles.         -   Stem color.—Inner stem 145C and slightly flushed with 69C,             stems are defined by color of outer petiole surface; a             blending of N137A and 137A and 183A.         -   Stem surface.—Defined by outer petiole surface.         -   New shoots.—An average of 7 cm in length and 8 mm in width             prior to first leaf unfurling, 183C in color. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic to slightly ovate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acuminate with small mucronate tip.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, mature leaves; mid rib on upper             surface is conspicuous and 137C in color, mid rib on lower             surface is conspicuous, protruding, and a blend of 174B and             174C and 144C in color, color of other veins match leaf             coloration.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire, Slightly wavy.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate with petioles sheathed.         -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous on upper surface and lower surface             with a slight sheen on both surfaces on newer leaves.         -   Leaf orientation.—Emerge upright and become nearly             horizontal and slightly cascading downward when mature.         -   Variegation pattern.—Intensely variegated with thin stripes             pinnately radiating in numerous colors on upper and lower             leaf surface, brightly colored stripes (an average of 1 mm             in width) are separated by dark green stripes (of various             widths ranging from 1 to 5 mm) with the larger dark green             stripes with mauve stripes on mature leaves.         -   Leaf color.—New foliage, upper and lower surface; dark green             stripes 136A and 139A, other stripes; 1A, 144C, 34B, 169B,             31B, and 31C, maturing foliage, upper surface; dark green             stripes N189A and a color between N189A and 202A, other             stripes; 144D, 169B, 31C, and 31D, maturing foliage, lower             surface; dark green stripes N137A and a color between N189A             and 202A, other stripes; 144D, 169B, 31C, 145D and 47D,             fully mature foliage, upper and lower surface; stripes of             N137A and 48D.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 33 cm in length and 20 cm in width             when mature.         -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 10 per shoot 30 cm in length.         -   Petioles.—About 17 cm in length, an average of 2.5 mm in             width, glabrous on inner and outer surface, sulcate and             clasping to stem the entire length, color outer surface; a             blending of N137A and 137A and 183A, color inner surface;             thin vertical stripes of 145C and 145D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal raceme that elongates as             individual flowers open; flowers with showy staminodes that             are arranged spirally along the rachis and open sequentially             during the bloom season.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 17 cm in length and 12 cm in             diameter (dependant on number of blooms open).         -   Flower buds.—Linear to slightly narrow oblanceolate in             shape, an average of 11 cm in length and 1 cm in width,             color a blend of 183C, 182D, with minute vertical lines of             137C.         -   Flower fragrance.—None detected.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Inflorescence blooms             continuously during the bloom period, individual flowers             last about 2 days.         -   Flower quantity.—Continuously produced throughout the bloom             season, one to three open at one time, an average of 50             flowers produced in a season.         -   Flower type.—Comprised of less showy sepals and petals and             showy staminodes.         -   Flower size.—Average of 10 cm in length and depth.         -   Rachis.—Average of 15 cm in length (includes peduncle about             4 mm in length) and 2 mm in diameter and an average of 6 mm             in width, color a blend of 147A and 147B and suffused with             183B, glabrous surface, shape is oval and becoming flattened             on one side near apex, an average of 2 bracts; an average of             10 cm in length and 3 cm in width, curled inward, glabrous             on both surfaces, clasping base, apex acuminate with small             mucronate tip, outer color is comprised on vertical stripes             of 183D and 147A, inner color is comprised of thin vertical             stripes of 145C, 137C and 183D.         -   Sepals.—3, lanceolate in shape, truncate base, acuminate             apex, about 1.8 cm in length and 7 mm in width, 183D in             color blending to 147A in centers, glabrous surface, persist             after staminodes drop.         -   Petals.—3, lanceolate in shape, truncate base, acute apex,             about 4 cm in length and 8 mm in width, both surfaces 161C             in color and suffused with 183D (strongly at apex), glabrous             surface, held upright with upper portion reflexed.         -   Pedicels.—Stout, 3 cm in length and 4 cm in width, glabrous             surface, 144A in color.         -   Staminodes.—Sterile; 4, size; an average of 9.9 cm in length             and 4.6 cm in width, obovate-elliptic in shape, apex round,             base cuneate to narrower base about 2 cm in length and 1 cm             in width with truncate base, margins slightly crenate             (irregular) and wavy, color upper and lower surface; a blend             of 24A and 42B and blends into 13B on basal region, glabrous             on upper and lower surface, fertile male, 1, an average of             7.5 cm in length and 3 cm in width, renal in shape, apex             round, base cuneate to narrower base about 1.5 cm in length             and 5 mm in width with truncate base, margins slightly             crenate (irregular) and wavy, color upper and lower surface;             24A and suffused with 42B that blends into 13B on basal             region with a thin margin of 42B, glabrous on upper and             lower surface, fertile female; staminode pistil as described             under gynoecium. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, style is an average of 7.5 cm in length             and 1 cm in width, narrowly club shaped, truncate base,             margins smooth, color upper and lower surface; a blend of             24A and 42B and blends into 13B on basal region, glossy on             upper and lower surface, stigma surrounds apex, is about 5             mm in length and 164D in color, ovary is inferior, about 9             mm in length and 4 mm in width, and 146C in color.         -   Androcoecium.—1 stamen, about 4.5 cm in length, filament is             adnate to edge of staminode, a blend of 24A and 42B in             color, about 3 cm in length, anthers are about 1.5 cm in             length, slightly curved, 199D in color and basifixed, pollen             is moderate in quantity and 164D in color.         -   Fruit and seed.—Capsule, globose, 147A in color, spiky             surface, about 1.5 cm in length and width, seed formation             was not observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Canna plant named ‘B Marley’ as herein illustrated and described. 